Managing Coal Combustion Residuesin MinesCommittee on Mine Placement of Coal Combustion WastesBoard on Earth Sciences and ResourcesDivision on Earth and Life StudiesNATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCILOF Thf NATIONAL ACADEMIESTHE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRLSSWashington, D.C.www,nap.eduSummaryCoal is the worlds most abundant fossil fuel and the largest single source of fuel for electricity production in the United States. More than 90 percent of the coal mined in the United States is used by commercial power plants to generate electricity.A by-product of coal combustion is the formation of coal combustion residues (OCRs), the noncombustible portion of the coal itself and residues from various air pollution control technologies. The amount of CCRs produced annually is currently more than 120 million tons, which is enough to fill about one million railroad coal cars. This amount will likely continue to increase as demand for coal-based energy in the United States grows and as air pollution control technologies for capturing residues are more widely used.The management of large volumes of CCRs is a challenge, particularly for utilities that must dispose offsite or find secondary uses for this material. CCRs can be recycled for use into engineering applications or products such as cement or wallboard, which relaxes disposal needs. The remainder must be disposed in landfills, surface impoundments, or mines. Each method for disposing of CCRs has advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost and potential impacts. Placement of CCRs in mines for mine reclamation, the focus of this study, is not currently a major national practice. However, the use of CCR in mine reclamation has been increasing (ACAA, 1995; ACAA, 2005c; PADEP, 2004). The committee concluded that putting CCRs in coal mines as part of the reclamation process is a viable management option as long as (1) CCR placement is properly planned and is carried out in a manner that avoids significant adverse environmental and health impacts and (2) the regulatory process for issuing permits includes dear provisions far public involvement. The main advantages of CCR mine placement are (1) it can assist in meeting reclamation goals (such as remediation of abandoned mine lands), and (2) it avoids the need, relative to landfills and impoundments, to disrupt undisturbed sites. However, the placement of CCRs in coal mines is a multidimensional issue that involves consideration of potential human health and environmental impacts, as well as a comparison to the economic, health, and environmental impacts from other uses or disposal options.Concerns about the potential public health and environmental risks associated with using CCRs for reclamation in active and abandoned coal mines led Congress to direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to commission an independent study to examine this topic (Sidebar S.1). As a result, the National Research Council established the Committee on Mine Placement of Coal Combustion Wastes study to address issues outlined in the statement of task.2SIDEBAR S.1Statement of TaskIn response to a request from Congress, the National Research Council conducted a study that examined the health, safety; and environmental risks associated with using coal combustion wastes (CCW) for reclamation in active and abandoned coal mines. The study looked at the placement in abandoned and active, surface and underground coal mines in all major coal basins. The study considered coal mines receiving large quantities of coal combustion wastes. The committee focused its efforts on coal combustion wastes from utility power plants and independent power producers, rather than small business, industries, and institutions. A profile of the utility industry was taken into consideration in designing the study to focus on the sources producing the greatest quantities of coal combustion wastes.Specifically, the committee addressed the following points:1. The adequacy of data collection from surface water and ground water monitoring points established at CCW sites in mines,2. The impacts of aquatic life in streams draining CCW placement areas and the wetlands, lakes, and rivers receiving this drainage.3. The responses of mine operators and regulators to adverse or unintended impacts such as the contamination of ground water and pollution of surface waters.4, Whether CCWs and the mines they are being put in are adequately characterized for such placement to ensure that monitoring programs are effective and ground water and surface waters are not degraded.5. Whether there are clear performances standards set and regularly assessed for projects that use CCW for beneficial purposes in mines,6. The status of isolation requirements and whether they are needed.7. The adequacy of monitoring programs including:a. The status of long-term monitoring and the need for this monitoring after CCW is placed in abandoned mines and ac